The invention involves the design of a unique torch for use with an electric arc welding system where the torch has special abilities to communicate with the welding system and the system is adapted to receive the torch. In Friedl U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,186 a special designed torch includes an input device and a display device on the torch itself so that a dedicated line is used to communicate data from the torch to the electric arc welding system being used with the torch. The system can identify the torch and change parameters of the welding process implemented by the welding system. The parameters are changed on the torch itself and are communicated by a single communication line to set and select parameters for the welding system. The alleged novelty is a single communication line, but not details of the communicated data or the response of the system to the data. This patent is incorporated by reference herein for its background technology and for the description of a torch with an input device, as well as a torch mounted display device. In a like manner, Kaufman U.S. Pat. No. 6,855,914 is incorporated by reference. The welding system identifies the impedance of the torch to decide the type of torch connected to the welding system, whether a push-pull torch or merely push torch. Identification of the type of torch connected to the system is used to set a parameter, such as the motor speed for the wire driven through the gun or torch to the welding operation. This background patent utilizes the system itself to determine the type of torch and does not employ the torch as the source of multi purpose intelligence to control the weld process of the welding system. These two patents comprise the background to which the present invention is directed and disclose only primitive communication between the welding torch and the welding system.